Over 250 militants including highly qualified commanders killed in 2018

Srinagar: Youth including MBA to PHD Scholars were among the hundreds of militants killed in Kashmir this year. Dr. Manan wani, Dr. Mohammad Rafi and Dr. Sabzar were among the highly educated.

This year saw the highest number of encounters and militant killings since last decade with over 250 militants dead.

Despite the killing of such huge number of militants in counter insurgency operations this year, the annual recruitment numbers are the highest in over a decade. As many as 164 youth have joined the militant ranks till October this year. Last year the number was 126, highest since 2010. Although, according to police officials, militant recruitment is experiencing a massive dip since last couple of months.

Talking to Valley Media Service, a top police official said that the trademarks of new age militant recruitment like use of social media for recruiting youth have stopped working now. Also, the number of youth recruited per month has come down to single digits now.

“The militant recruitment is at its low right now and the militancy will start waning in the coming year. Moreover, the killing of top commanders in 2018 cut off the links between militant sympathizers and the recruiting youth,” he said.

There has been a steady rise in the number of youth taking up arms in the valley since 2014 onwards as compared to 2011, 2012 and 2013. In 2010, 54 youth had joined the militancy while in 2011; the number came down to 23 and further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 6 in 2013. In 2014, the number shot up to 53 and in 2015, it reached 66 before touching the mark of 88 in 2016. (VMS)